The Gap Year

Chapter 39

I closed my eyes allowing the early evenings easy sun to land like stardust upon my eyelids. Its warmth was angelic, flowing downstream across the tops of my cheekbones, heating me to the soul. Yet conversley the rays which had also gathered upon my eyelids were causing a dull ache to swell across the length of the socket lines. But it was a welcome ache reminding me that the flu which I had suffered was almost now departed, for other than it no further phyical pain remained. The emotional pain would take longer to heal. The embarrassment I felt remembering how I had vomited on to Liam's bedroom floor, the hardness of its marble causing the infected fluid to spread itself across the largest surface area possible; the flash of anger which had revealed itself across Harry's face before he had gathered himself enough to remember my failing health, and the mortification of Liam as he mouthed the words 'I'm sorry', up on our discovery that Rebecca was in his bed.

'You don't need to be sorry,' I stammered. And he really didn't, 'what you do in your private life is your business.'

'I know, but I shouldn't be acting so...crassly.'

'You've got that right.' Harry glared confirming what I had always known about his feelings towards Rebecca.

'Just take me home.' I spoke at him mutely. 'I need to lie down before I'm sick again.'

'You can lie down here.' Liam was desperate.

'I want to go home. Now.'

Five days have passed since Harry had followed my orders and returned me to my apartment, placing me down delicately within my bed. Five days since I had ordered him to leave despite his protests that he stay and watch over my condition. Five days since Liam had pleaded at my door asking for forgiveness, and even Rebecca too had risked a cat fight with Katie just to try and help me. But I needed to sweat it out alone, to forget about the perpetual turbalance which has plagued these previous weeks like the most direly written telenovlea set to a permanent repeat. So this flu was a blessing. It has granted me the time I have needed to be alone; a welcome excuse to be forbidden from that wretched airport, but more so an excuse to be forbidden from all these people, people who only weeks earlier their lives I had no involvement with and likewise they had no involvement in mine.

But now, after this respite and given the solitude I have longed for, I have reclaimed the strength I need to see it through to the end. Only four weeks remain and then I go back to England to start the rest of my life.

I opened my eyes inhaling. Staring out across the horizon I shan't let all this melodrama detract from the formidable view which is cast in front of me like a blessing from God; the Greeks God's. The shallow seas of the Ionian sat still like an overheated lake, the sun's rays cast upon it just like they were upon me, except instead of being absorbed by skin it's stardust was bouncing back from the seas reflection, straight back up in to the clear blue sky.

'You're a hard woman to track down.' I recognised the depth of Harry's voice even though I couldn't see him.

'Not really. I'm here most days at this time.' I turned around in the plastic chair which I always sat in if available, facing out to the sea, at the top end of the pool at Spiro's. 'Oh you go ahead and take a seat.' I gestured at him sarcastically as he cockily sat down uninvited.

'So this is what you do all day?'

'Unlike an obviously fictional occupation such as "Senior Mixologist", at least I have an actual job.' I defended.

'Yeah, sitting around the poolside at Spiro's, topping up your tan and talking to old people.'

'Better them than young sluts.' I glared.

'What, like yourself?' He was too quick with these comebacks.

'What do you want?' I couldn't better him, but that must be the flu still sapping me of my strength.

'Come to Zorb's tonight.' He cut to the chase.

'God no!' Like I want to go anywhere near that place or any of its employees and clientele who are certain to want to engage with me.

'Come on Emma, get over it, it's quiet tonight and you can bring a book.'

'Sit by myself and read a book?!' I can't believe he's actually suggesting that I'm so desperate that I'd sit on my own waiting for him.

'Listen to me.' He was getting cross, 'there won't be anyone there so I'll hardly be busy working.'

'No way. I've not been lying in bed for a week to jump right back in to this.'

'What are you talking about, you've had the flu?'

'That might be so, but i've also had a lot of time to think. I've only got four weeks left he and then I'm gone, so there's no point even entertaining this, I don't want to waste any more of your time or my time or anyone else's time for that matter. It would be cruel to do so.'